Radio Shack SSM-1850 mixer with echo

A detailed review of the Radio Shack SSM-1850 four-channel stereo mixing board with EQ and echo. It is certainly not professional-grade, but for the price I paid ($99.99 on sale) it would be great for light DJ use or amateur recording. Unfortunately, like all good Radio Shack products anymore, it has been discontinued. Finding a used one on eBay or Craigslist could be an excellent bargain, though.
Your reward for listening to me babble on for eight minutes is some creepy sci-fi echo effects produced by the mixer!

[@Milambits]

I found what seemed like a piece of an alien space ship control panel at a resale shop today and didn't work so the person let me have it for $20 instead of $50 they were asking. I figured I could use it to make cool sounds one way or another. I threw a new fuse in it and now have a fully functional ssm-1750. This video helped me understand how to use it, so thank you.

[@dffps129]

Just found an SSM 1750 (fully functional) in the dump. This video helped me learn what I could do with it. Thank you.

[@Acidwrap]

pa do same just yesterday I found one from the junkyard

[@gregm9587]

Ha! DF, also just found a SSM 1750 at the dump--fully functional. Having Dj'd some house parties and witnessing recently some poor public Djing, I told some friends I wanted to do a more public house party but have no equipment----and this fell in my lap last week! Just a start.

[@crazybobdj]

I use a Radio Shack SSM-1850, for all gigs, including weddings, karaoke, & remotes for a local radio station! the echo effects are awesome!

[@crazybobdj]

I also like the MONO/Stereo button!

[@jrg770]

In the 80's\90's, Radio Shack, Realistic and Pyramid all had the same Japanese manufacturer but used different cosmetics or layouts on their gear. Many of them with built in echo use analog BBD ICs. Sometimes they will be labelled BL. Others are labelled MN (Panasonic\Matsushita). Two maybe three IC's like MN3101\MN3007(s). While the mixers aren't worth much these days, those ICs have been out of production for a long time and are worth saving - if you can get them into the hands of FX\Pedal builder.

[@Stanley_A._Hunt]

I'm guessing this is what you used to add the echo to your voice for the video of Atari's Centipede.

[@CoolDudeClem]

I WISH that I hadn't ditched most of my analogue stuff when I discovered digital editing with a computer. I regret doing that now. I used to have 3 sound mixers and a separate echo unit, my biggest mixer even had a sampler on it. My echo unit had sliders instead of knobs, and I could do weird and cool effects just like the ones you did. The lit up sliders and the level meters are pretty cool too.

[@robertleeluben]

There's many many versions of this mixer sold by various companies and with slightly different capabilities. One of the more common is the sound fx section where the big text is with lazer zaps, sirens and other fun variable sound fx. I may be wrong but I think Gemini also had a version of this with a loop sampler, just a simple start/stop/loop thing they jammed onto lots of mixers way back when.

[@EzeeLinux]

I love those meters! I have an older Rad Shack mixer that is very similarly laid out... I use an Audio Technica ST95 mic on the XLR channel and the quality is good. I also use the mixer to get audio from tape or MD into the computer... The three band EQ'a and pan pots make it easy to tweak up the audio before it's encoded... :) JC

[@juliomontoya3431]

I found one today at a swap meet for 30 bucks

[@vwestlife]

@MrRobertsnyc That would go through the "send/receive" function. Connect the mixer's "send" output to the input of the processor, and connect the output of the processor to the mixer's "receive" input.

[@electriciankhan]

it is ok, but you did not showed the side panel , where connecting the mics input and speakers out put terminals.

[@VictorPVicta]

Hi, I just got one of exactly the same model. The echo function is not working. I’ve got all three turned up all the way. Switched to MIC, Delay, Repeat and Level turned up. Quite frustrating. Do you think I’m missing something here. I got it from OfferUp. For all I know that malfunction is the reason why the owner sold it. Thanks.

[@vwestlife]

@peyton584 This particular model has been discontinued, but they have a new version available.

[@markcovington8159]

Hey VWestlife. Thank you for the info on whether or not this mixer will be appropriate for DJ use. This video is beginning to help me right there. :)

[@vwestlife]

@MrRobertsnyc What is a "prosser"?

[@vwestlife]

@MusicMikeCombs I doubt it does. The owner's manual makes no reference to phantom power.

[@giantrc]

Looking for some help-we have a SSM-1850 and use it at a race track to announce races. Our wireless mic works a 100% better than the wired mic. Both mics are Radio shack but I forgot to write down which one. Any ides why it does this?

[@vwestlife]

giantrc If the mic has selectable impedance, try the other impedance setting to see if it works better.

[@DJBMan330]

Im not sure but IF ya wanna sale it.. contact me here or at [e-mail]

[@vwestlife]

If it has a line level audio input, yes. Most Mac laptops have a line level input, but many PC laptops only have a microphone input, which won't work.

[@VietMy123]

Sir! Can you please teach me how to connect this mixer to speakers and tv ? Thank you.🙏🏼

[@vwestlife]

Connect it to the aux/line input.

[@BenReeves88]

i have the same mixer and my audio has a fuzzy noise in the backround do you know what that would be?

[@MrRobertsnyc]

i have the Radio shack mixer 1750, looks a lot like the ssm1850. can you tell me how to put in line a prosser to the mixer of the Radio shack1750 if you know how? thanks.

[@dianedeleasa5809]

Fun video. I have an Optimus 1750 which I used for years when I was a dj. I still have it...lot's of fun for home parties...etc. You got a great deal I paid $200 for mine. It has six special effects buttons that are neat..cymbals crashing..etc.

[@sergiocardenas2571]

Diane Deleasa I just got one like yours for 150$ with speakers

[@DJBMan330]

Ive got a SSM-1750...but I like the 1850's back lit faders...

[@vwestlife]

@dvdpz Yes, you will need a separate power amplifier.

[@peyton584]

I though I saw something just like it at my radioshack? But you said it was discontinued.

[@bluenazz]

I have an old Radio Shack mixer that I've never used. It isn't as nice as that one but you've shown me what it might be used for (:->

[@waynedavis9885]

maybe you could help me... i want to hook up a second amp on this mixer to run my woofer can i use the RECORD OUT the same as my LINE OUT to send the music to both amps SETUP WILL BE computer to mixer, mixer LINE OUT to amp1 then to 2x 12" 3 way speakers then other would be same computer to mixer then RECORD OUT to amp2 then out to 1x 15" subwoofer so amp1 runs spkrs amp2 runs woofer if this is wrong please let me know the way if i can do this.. thanks for any help...

[@traxonwax]

$99 for a 4 channel board is a huge bargin. I love all the blue lights.

[@MrRobertsnyc]

it is a compressor that processor's the sound andcompresses the sound to mix it sorry about my poor spelling.

[@GalaxieMarauder]

I got this one for $30 from a used electronics store and I also got the SSM-1750 last year for $50. I think the 1750 is better than the 1850 but I had to see the difference for myself.

[@DJBMan330]

Ill buy your 1850

[@werayoungstertrejo3723]

@@DJBMan330 how much we talking I got it for 75 bucks

[@vwestlife]

It is not an amplifier. It is just a mixer and pre-amp.

[@MrRobertsnyc]

thank you so very much it was making me crazy i now have compression thank god , your to kind much love.

[@tshock100]

i love dat echo i about to bout dat to hook up to my gemenni

[@peyton584]

Oh, ok